Lebanese lawmakers agreed to repeal controversial Article 522 of the penal code, which allows rapists to avoid prosecution if they marry their victims.

The article will likely be officially abolished in the parliament’s next legislative session.

There was unanimous consent in the parliament’s Committee of Administration and Justice to remove the article as it appeared in the text of the law, MP Robert Ghanem said in a statement.

The decision comes as NGOs and activists have been pressuring politicians to strike down the provision, which they say enables rape.

“In the event a legal marriage is concluded between the person who committed [crimes including rape, kidnapping and statutory rape] and the victim, prosecution shall be stopped and in case a decision is rendered, the execution of such decision shall be suspended against the person who was subject to it,” Article 522 reads.

“Congratulations to women and girls across Lebanon… The Committee of Administration and Justice has agreed to repeal Article 522 of the Lebanese criminal code. Further details relating to other articles will be discussed next Wednesday,” ABAAD, a group that has been leading a push against the law, wrote on Facebook.

Translation: #Article522 of the penal code to the garbage. We hope that all the manifestations of the uncivilised patriarchal society get abolished. Congratulation to Lebanese women and a salute to women's rights activists.